A questionnaire was mailed to 100 high school principals in Michigan in order to determine their strategic planning of administrative policies governing extracurricular speech activities. The survey questions were limited to 10 major items covering six key liability issues: (1) compatibility of school policies with state association rules and…

This study was intended to add to the body of knowledge dealing with school board policies concerning field trips. A questionnaire, mailed to superintendents in 149 cities, was designed to (1) ascertain the existence of school board policies (written or unwritten) pertaining to field trips; (2) determine the person(s) or group(s) who pass on the…

It is argued that school administrators at the state, district, or building level should review and evaluate policy in addition to their more traditional roles in implementation. This exercise of leadership should provide a more comprehensive response to policy initiatives. (SLD)

Interviews with South African principals of traditionally White, Indian, and "colored" schools examined school policies and procedures about admitting students of other races and principals' views of impending changes. Five case studies represent the range of responses to integration. A predominant ideology of "racelessness"…

Discusses the results of a recent Canadian study in which the perceptions of superintendents, principals, and teachers were analyzed and compared in order to determine the actual level of agreement between the practices for instructional supervision outlined in the school division's policy manual and the actual practice in the schools governed by…

Survey of 46 rural Louisiana school administrators revealed a lack of basic knowledge about many aspects of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), which probably contributed to negative attitudes toward persons with HIV/AIDS. Administrators wanted more knowledge in this area and identified a need for…

The recent escalation of zero-tolerance weapons policies was predicated on a (mis)perceived increase in school-related shootings. When administering such policies, principals should reaffirm the policy message, clarify consequences, be careful with evidence, clear their calendars, prepare a communication plan, and coordinate responses to the…

Aided by a 21-member Elementary Education Study Group, the Secretary of Education has prepared the first comprehensive report on elementary education in the United States in more than three decades. The report finds America's elementary schools in pretty good shape, and states that they do their job especially well in the early grades, only…

The purpose of this research study was to determine the opinions of school principals and school counselors in Pennsylvania on the issue of student rights. A 30-statement opinion questionnaire was constructed and mailed to 171 counselors and 154 principals in 48 public school districts widely distributed throughout Pennsylvania. The response rate…

Two thousand secondary school counselors and principals were surveyed as to their school's practices regarding access to student records. While results indicate that the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 has increased parent and student access to records, many schools are in violation of federal laws. (BS)

This report analyzes data from the 2000 School Survey on Crime and Safety presented in "Violence in U.S. Public Schools: 2000 School Survey on Crime and Safety. Statistical Analysis Report." Principals at 3,314 nationally-representative K-12 schools described incidents of crime and violence, disciplinary problems and actions, use of…

In "New Jersey v. T.L.O." the U.S. Supreme Court held that the prohibitions of the Fourth Amendment regarding unreasonable searches and seizures apply to student searches and seizures conducted by public school officials. However, the Court said the legality of a search should depend upon "reasonableness, under the…

This guide for principals examines legal principles guiding public school administrators in their relations with students. It reviews students' rights and administrators' responsibilities in general and then addresses federal and state statutory mandates that afford additional protections to students with disabilities. The section on students'…

Student activism is the subject of the hour. Three out of five principals surveyed report some form of active protest in their schools. Questionnaires sent to a random sample of 1,982 junior and senior high school principals throughout the U.S. show that 67% of city and suburban schools and 53% of rural schools are experiencing protests. Protest…

This study contributes to the field by identifying a broad range of traditional and newer middle grade policies and practices, and determining in California which of these differentiate higher- from lower-performing schools serving similar student populations, with performance measured by the state's standards-based tests. Based on a sample of 303…